Increased Support for Global Fund Could "Turn the Tide of History," Says Elton John

Noting the UK will host the G8 summit this month, with the "humanitarian focus" on nutrition, and how the 2005 G8 Gleneagles summit focused on reaching universal treatment, care and prevention goals for HIV/AIDS, British singer and AIDS activist Elton John writes in The Guardian's "Comment Is Free" blog, "The results of that G8 can be counted in lives saved, health services revitalized, hope re-born. Around the world, governments that were struggling had new evidence that donors were sincere, and would help them meet their people's needs." John continues, "But I worry. With each new priority we seem to leave former gains unfinished. That does not make sense. Development means being there for the long run, to see things through, to get the job done."

"The Global Fund [to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria] and UNAIDS have calculated that $15 billion (£9.6 billion) over the next three years could turn the tide of history" on the three diseases, he states, writing, "You don't abandon the investment as efficiencies start to kick in with better value for money, you don't give up just when the science proves you can sustain it, and you don't reduce your contribution when you know you can leverage more than double your share." He continues, "The UK can make sure the Global Fund has enough money to turn the tide of history. Now is the moment to put serious money behind that hope: doubling its last contribution, putting in £1 billion over the next three years, will boost the Global Fund's ability to achieve its goals and persuade others to do the right thing too." John concludes, "By capitalizing on a historic opportunity now, AIDS won't need to be on the table when the UK chairs the G8 in 2021" (6/7).

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